Bay Area artists know they've made it once their work appears at this city museum.. The Scene
SJMA is not large for a big-city museum, but the quality of the work on display is high. The museum operates partly out of a striking, 1892 post office building with a clock tower, and partly out of a modern building next door that opened in 1991. A bright-red cloth barrier across the front of the newer building announces the museum's name, and a circle of palm trees and a brightly painted sculpture decorate the plaza in front.

The Collection
The museum has a permanent collection of 1,200 20th-century works, with an emphasis on post-1980 Bay Area artists. Exhibits include contemporary painting, photography, and free children's programs on the second Sunday of each month. Poetry and book readings, daily tours, and lectures round out the calendar of free events. Visitors can enjoy light lunch fare and coffee at the cafe, and shop for art books and gifts at the museum store.…